The Potters Shop & School

The Potters School

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We offer studio membership, classes, workshops, a gallery, and services for people working with clay. Take a look below to learn more about what we offer.

The Potters School was founded in 1977 as part of The Potters Shop; a school, pottery gallery, and workspace for potters. Members of The Potters School come from many different clay backgrounds. Some have taken classes, some are self-taught, some are professional potters who want access to extensive equipment, some are hobbyists who enjoy being part of a larger pottery community. We have 3 different levels of membership available to meet a broad range of needs. All members of The Potters School are required to have enough experience to be able to work independently at forming and glazing their pots. We also offer free monthly workshops on diverse topics to help you hone your skills and learn new techniques.

31 Thorpe Rd, Needham, MA 02494

781-449-7687

pottersshop@aol.com
Steven Branfman, Founder & Director

Studio Amenities and Membership

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Studio Amenities:

7 electric wheels
slab roller
extruder
large handbuilding table
wedging and slip recycling areas for white and dark clays
well-stocked glaze room with 10 cone 5 oxidation glazes and 8 raku glazes regularly available for member use, (we also stock hundreds of raw materials if you prefer to mix your own glazes)
several types of clays available for purchase
spray booth
extensive library of over 500 books and videos and a selection of pottery magazines and journals from around the world
ware boards, bats, and tools for communal use
kitchen area with a fridge, toaster, coffee maker, and microwave for your lunch or a cup of tea
photo studio with lights, backdrops, and tripods for taking pictures of your work
5 electric kilns of various sizes, both manual (with kiln sitter and timer) and computerized
Outdoor raku area with 6 propane fired kilns, 1 sawdust kiln, and an experimental wood/gas kiln

Each new member is given an orientation on safe equipment use (extruder, slab roller, grinding wheels) and electric kiln firing. No prior kiln firing experience is required. Don't worry, we won't let you burn the building down! Members often share kilns to cut their firing costs, and our staff is available during business hours to watch your kiln for you. Our lovely staff take care of the studio and equipment maintenance, but we expect you to be a good citizen. Treat equipment with respect and clean up after yourself.

Ok, still reading? Here's the skinny on our three levels of membership:

UNLIMITED ACCESS RESIDENT MEMBER:
* key to the studio for 24 hour unlimited access
* instruction in and use of all equipment, systems, and procedures
* 50% member discount on firing rates
* access to our complete stock of raw materials for glaze mixing (cost of materials is additional)
* 20% discount on purchases of clay, tools, books, and videos
* eligibility to display and sell work in our gallery and participate in open studios and other events (gallery commission applies)
* participation in free member-only workshops and demonstrations
* registration priority for workshops that are open to the general public
* scheduled use of our raku facilities (firing fees additional)
* library borrowing privileges (books, videos, and DVDs)

fee: $475 quarterly

LIMITED ACCESS RESIDENT MEMBERSHIP:
* all of the above EXCEPT for a key and 24 hour access.
* access and studio use is unlimited but available only during open business hours 11-5, Mon-Fri

fee: $340 quarterly

NON-RESIDENT MEMBERSHIP:
*all of the privileges of resident membership except for studio use and use of equipment

Non-resident membership is designed for potters with their own studios, who would like use of our library, access to free workshops and display space in our gallery, and discounts on books, videos, and tools. We can fire your pots for you at the member rate if you have workspace at home, but not a kiln.

fee: $150 annually

Please call for more information and an application for membership! 781.449.7687

Adult Pottery Classes

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We are the only studio in Needham, Massachusetts to teach adult pottery lessons so sign up for one of our classes and get muddy!

Our adult classes are limited to 7 and tailored to the needs and interests of each individual student. All of our classes encourage you to progress at your own pace and assure the personal attention you will need to continue to grow. Our classes meet once a week for 2 hours on Tuesday evenings, 7-9pm.

The class fee includes materials. Firing charges are not included with tuition, but students receive a discounted rate. In addition to class time, students are welcome to 5 hours of free practice time per week during regular business hours (M-F, 11-5). Additional studio time beyond 5 hours a week will be charged at a rate of $5 per hour.

There are currently two sessions of class to sign up for:

Winter Session #1 with Sarah Whitlock
January 10 through February 28, 8 weeks, $380 plus firing fees

Reserve your spot by calling us at 781-449-7687 or emailing at pottersschool@aol.com

Contact us at pottersschool@aol.com to directly receive information on our future classes

Ceramic Services for Individuals and Schools

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The Potters School and The Potters Shop operate seamlessly together. Through The Potters Shop, members and non-members alike can avail themselves of a variety of services.

Supplies

The Potters Shop stocks several types of clay for purchase as well as a complete stock of chemicals and raw materials for glaze mixing. Clays are available in 25lb bags. Our stock of materials are available in quantities as small as a single gram and up to several pounds. This service is in place with your convenience in mind, allowing you to buy exactly what you need to mix your glazes without having to keep a stock of materials of your own.

Tools

Our selection of tools is not the garden variety but hand-picked and handmade! We stock Dolan Tools, Groovy Tools, Kent Pottery Tools, Troy Throwing Sticks, Triplett Paddles, Falcon Tools, and other special tools for clayworkers.

Potters Shop Bookstore

The Potters Shop is well known for having the largest selection of books and films on pottery and ceramics anywhere. We list over 800 titles on our website ThePottersShop.blogspot.com with more coming in all the time. We are experts when it comes to pottery literature.

Firing Services

You do not have to be a member of the Potters School to fire your work here. We often fire pottery and sculpture for outside groups and individuals.

Firing fees are based on the size of the kiln we schedule for you and how long your firing takes.

Please call to make an appointment (781-449-7687). Bring in your pieces to be fired and be sure you know the firing temperature of your clay. If you are unsure of this, please bring the box your clay came in. Some guidelines to follow are:

Make sure that no pieces have pockets of trapped air.

All greenware should be completely dry.

No pottery should be thicker than your thumb at any point.

All glazed pots should have the bottoms thoroughly wiped free of glaze.

Please call us for more information on our firing services.

Raku Workshops

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Are you part of a group, studio, guild, co-op, etc. who is looking for a place to have a raku workshop? Well look no further! Our raku facilities can host up to 15 participants!

Raku Workshops are led by our experienced staff and consist of a supervised glazing and firing session. Glazing instruction includes an explanation and description of the available glazes, application, and various expected results. Firing instruction includes information on basic kiln theory, loading, firing in oxidation versus reduction atmospheres, and post-firing techniques. Due to the limited amount of time available and sometimes wide-ranging experience of participants, we will not cover advanced techniques or complicated approaches.

Each workshop consists of 1 hour of glazing and 5 hours of firing. 2 kilns will be fired simultaneously for approximately 6 total kiln loads. We will try to fire as many pots as possible, but there is no guarantee that everything will be fired.

All participants should come prepared for a safe raku: No sandals, no shorts, long hair must be tied back. We will provide gloves and other appropriate safety gear.

Fees: $350 minimum covers all of the above. If the weather holds out and everyone wants to keep firing, each additional hour of firing time beyond 5 hours is $70.

Scheduling: Weekdays only and workshops must be completed by 5 PM, call for availability

Please call us to schedule your workshop and for more information. 781-449-7687

Pottery Parties

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If you live in the Needham, MA area, we can come to you for a fun pottery birthday party! Parties can be arranged for all ages, including mixed ages. We will provide a teacher, tools, and materials for an hour of handbuilding. The project will be based on the ages of the participants. After the party, we will carefully dry, bisque, glaze, and glaze fire your work. Pieces are generally available for pick-up about a month after the party.

To host a party, you just need an appropriate workspace where we can get a little messy. We will need a sturdy washable table and seating and water nearby for handwashing and cleanup. The floor should be washable as well (no carpets, please). Some spaces that work well are kitchens, porches, decks, garages, or outside at a picnic table in nice weather.

Our fees are $150 for up to 10 participants. Additional participants are $15 each. If you would like a longer party for adults or older children to work on a more involved project the fee is $75 for each additional hour or portion of an hour.

Please call us to schedule your party well in advance as our schedule can fill up quickly. 781-449-7687

Upcoming Workshops

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Our workshops are hosted monthly and are free to our members. Occasionally we have workshops that are open to the public as well. Give us a call to see if something you're interested in is open.

****Workshops may be canceled due to lack of enrollment. Please call first before coming down to confirm the workshop is still on! 781-449-7687****

Upcoming workshops:

Throwing Critique with Steve Branfman, January 26

Come show Steve what you've got and get some tips how to be a better thrower. Steve will not be demoing, but he will be there to help you with hands on experience.

Making Mugs with Karen Mahoney, February 18

Karen's best selling item are her mugs, come learn some tips to help your mugs be the best mug they can be! She will discuss and demonstrate throwing and making handles, and well as things to consider such as feet, shape, lips, and purpose.

Check back often for information on other workshops or call 781-449-7687

A Small Sample of Past Workshops:
Kiln Info and Care by Steven Branfman
Screen Printing on Clay with Karen Mahoney
Feet of Pots with Sarah Whitlock
Raku with Debbie Winnick
Slip Trailing with Jayne Raphael
Light and Energy: Porcelain Secrets with Monika Armbruster
Low-Fire Techniques with Karen Mahoney
Big Birds: Thrown-and-Altered Sculpture with Sarah Whitlock
Bottle Workshop with Steven Branfman